Bella the dog proves the old adage true : where there ’s a will , there ’s a way .

A absent dog describe Bella has been reunite with her relieved parents after expend most a month drop in the wild .

The adorable 10 - calendar month - oldcockapoodisappeared June 18 while out for a hike with her owner , Jim and Betsy Chaffin of Colorado . She remained miss for a chilling and trying four weeks alone in Maroon Bells - Snowmass Wilderness , a nature conserves located in the Elk mass of central Colorado .

light colored Cockapoo dog with tongue out

Gary Padgett / 500px / Getty

The Chaffins were out with Bella , some extended family , and two other dogshikingthe Capitol Creek Ditch Trail when Bella go before to take the air with their grandson . Because the grandson knew the radical was behind him , he thought nothing of it when Bella sprain back around — but somewhere in the shuffle , the pup got lose . When the group finally reunited , they agnize Bella was n’t with any of them .

The small crew boost with the Chaffins straightaway divided into two hunt team and set off look for the Canis familiaris . When nobody was capable to locate Bella , the chemical group reluctantly headed home — only to return again the next day to search and put up " lacking wienerwurst " bill in the arena .

But a day release into a week , and the more time pass , the less optimistic Jim and Betsy finger about the probability of reuniting with their darling pet .

" You just feel so guilty , " Betsytold The Aspen Times . " We just figured a brush wolf got Bella . "

Finally , on the tenth twenty-four hours , there was a light of promise . A local couple was out hiking when they spotted a small white-hot dog getting a drink . They attempt to get tight , but the dog run when they approached . The newsworthiness of the sighting got back to the Chaffins , and their spirits lifted jazz Bella might still be alive .

In the weeks that followed , the Chaffins exhaust all the resources they could find : receiving set stations , missing dog bill sticker , calls to local groomers , vet , and animal shelters . They also sought help from a local creature safety and ascendence military officer , the managing director of theAspen Animal Shelter , a dog skilled at sniffing out missing favorite and masses , and even a detent psychical .

Jim and Betsy also set up a collapsible shelter in the woodland filled with Bella ’s toys and some of their vesture to help tempt her in . But despite their tremendous efforts , Bella remain miss . Loved ones suggested that the Chaffins accept that Bella was in all likelihood give way and start thegrieving outgrowth , but Jim and Betsy were undiscouraged .

Eventually , those efforts paid off . A man named Rosario Ochoa had seen one of the lose dog signs posted by the Chaffins , and subsequently spotted a belittled white dog along the side of the road that he suspected to be Bella . The nervous dog growled and ran into the woods when Ochoa approached , but he was eventuallyable to coax her outwith some sweetened talk . Once he secured Bella , Ochoa call the number on her shred to let the Chaffins jazz their precious pooch had finally been find .

Though their reunion was sweet , it was also tough to see Bella in the condition she was in . The small dog had fall behind one-half of her weighting — going from 8 pound to 4 Pound — and had matted fur that needed to be shaved off . She was also punctured by two hedgehog quills , which were remove by a veterinarian .

With some help from her patient and protective parent , Bella is being give suck back to health in the comfort of her own home and the Chaffins say she ’s back to her happy self . We ’re so inspired by this little dog ’s conclusion , and we wish the Chaffins mass of fun and happy sentence ahead with their syndicate back together .